Tea Set Redwork Block

1-10-2014rwI drew this tea set when I was remembering the toy tea sets I had as a child. I can’t remember if they were ceramic or china, I just remember they were beautiful to me. I felt so grown up when I played with them. I spent many a hour having tea parties with my baby dolls and stuffed animals. I had indoor and outdoor tea parties and it was such good fun. I don’t have any of the tea sets from my childhood. I figure they were lost or broken or given away as the years passed.

In the decades since then, on more than a couple of occasions, I’ve stood in the toy department of different stores, admiring the toy tea sets that look like the ones from my youth. I’ve even put a set in my cart to purchase but then I put it back on the shelf. I don’t need a set and I don’t have a granddaughter to justify my buying one. But oh how my old silly heart wants one so much. Must be that inner child or second childhood or something like that going on.

I smiled while I was embroidering this tea set. I enjoyed remembering warm days of a palet on the ground, surrounded by my toys sharing the finest tea served in the finest tea set in all the land of make believe.

Ahh nostalgia, gotta love it. 😉

Wishing you all a pleasant weekend.
🙂

spcr1

Hummingbird Redwork Block

1-9-2014rwSo far, this hummingbird block has been one of the favorites of all the blocks that folks have seen it in person.
I’m partial to it because it was one of my favorite coloring pictures that I drew. I’ve always been pleased with the way it turned out. Over the years, I’ve used it for a few other things and am happy to have it on my redwork quilt.

Here’s an animation I made using my hummingbird and roses.
Imagine my disappointment to learn that in real life hummingbirds don’t like roses.
Oh well, I like my animation just the same. 🙂
humfeed
And here’s a big static graphic I made with my roses and hummingbirds.
bighumrose

Since the cold winds of winter are here in a record setting freeze,
hopefully the warm breezes of Spring will set a record and will arrive early and stay for awhile.

Wishing you all a beautiful day.
Keep warm and stay safe.
🙂
spcr1

The best gift (& Heart Redwork Block)

1-7-2014rwI’ve chosen my heart redwork block for today. It represents the love between me and my husband, the love of family and friends and our thankfulness for one of the best holiday gifts we could could receive: the gift of life.

Last November my husband survived a widow-maker heart attack. There’s only about 3 to 5 percent that survive a widow-maker.
It truly is a miracle that my husband survived. He had to have a quadruple bypass surgery and came through it like a champ.
I thank the good Lord above for the wonderful medical advances and the caring Doctors, nurses and staff that helped him through each day.

My husband has kept a positive attitude and thankfulness all through this. Even when he was suffering severe pain, he still managed to smile and be in good humor.
The Doctors and nurses complimented him on his cheery and positive attitude. They told him that ‘they would love it if all their patients were like him.’

I’m in awe of my husband and his wonderful disposition, he’s a joy and delight and  my special miracle.  I know that I couldn’t go through the pain and stress that he’s been through and come out shining like he has. I would be a whiny miserable mess. It’s been amazing watching his progress starting from hour to hour, day to day, week to week and now he’s back to almost 100%.

From day one of when this all started we agreed to deal with what was before us from moment-to-moment. We focused on his healing and looked forward to ‘our new normal’ days ahead. The rest of the world could take care of itself.

God blessed us with what we needed when we needed it.
We saw the best of family and friends. They were our troops as they rushed to our sides in support to help us through.
I thank our family and friends from the bottom of my heart.

My sister and her family went above and beyond the call of family-duty. With love and caring they blessed us. My sister never left my side until my husband was home for a couple days. She made sure we had everything we needed before she would leave. Her dedication and attentiveness to us is awe inspiring. We can never repay her and her family nor thank them enough. I thank God for first making us sisters and then making us best friends. Thank you so very much my Bff.

Yesterday was supposed to be my husband’s first day back at work but the weather turned vicious and his boss closed the business for the day.
So, Today was my husband’s first day back at work. He said it went well and he’s happy to be back.
1-6-2014-snow

We are now in the days of new normal and looking forward to many decades of happiness ahead.

I apologize to you all for my abrupt absence. I hope you all understand why I needed to be away so long.
Now that our life is evening out, I’ve a bit more free time and I’m going to try to get back to blogging more regular.

I hope your holidays were pleasant and the New Year is starting off with promises of many celebrations to come in 2014.

Wishing you and your family the best of the best all year through.

🙂
spcr1

Redwork Block 11 – Clock & Progress report

11-15-2013rw

Anytime I see a double bell wind up clock, I think of my Mother, especially if it’s a brass one. All through my youth, I’d watch my Mom set her brass alarm clock for the next morning & wind it up. The thing about Mom and alarm clocks is she really didn’t need one. She was one of those gifted people who could stay up late talking, cooking or sewing and still rise before dawn bright-eyed and ready to greet the day. I wish I could’ve inherited that gift from her. I don’t remember her ever sleeping late in the morning unless she was seriously ill.

I never have figured out how to set a wind up clock to alarm at the correct time. Thankfully my generation was blessed with digital clock radios by the time I was grown and needed to wake up to one on my own.

I thought my cartoony alarm clock would make a fun addition to my redwork quilt. I still have many many blocks to go, so there may be more silliness appear embroidered in red before I get finished.

And now it’s ‘time’ for an update of my progress over the past couple weeks. 😉

~Redwork Block Progress~

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I think my Redwork quilt top is looking okay. Here’s eleven blocks I’ve embroidered during the past two weeks. They look better in real life.

Honestly, my redwork quilt top isn’t dingy or dirty like it looks in the photo. For some reason my camera yellows & grays on the edges of a photo when I use the flash. I hate it because it looks awful, but I wanted to show you all how it’s looking so far.

And now on to next weeks blocks… wonder what memories or anecdotes will be sparked.
Stay tuned. 🙂

Wishing you all fun & joy in crafting.
🙂
spcr1